After completing a purchase transaction, customers may leave behind merchandise which they have purchased. Customers can be distracted while entering credit card information, for example, having conversations with cashiers, or while looking for cash in their wallets. Additionally, retailers are implementing various kinds of merchandise bagging equipment, including bag carousels.
For example, many retailers utilize bag carousel equipment at the end of their checkout counters. In this type of arrangement, after items are scanned, they are placed directly into bags located on a rotating carousel. As the cashier fills each bag, the carousel is rotated to the next empty bag position. The filled bags are rotated toward the customer who is instructed to remove the filled bags from the carousel. A major problem with this type of system is that customers are often occupied with other tasks during the checkout process and neglect to remove the filled bags from the carousel. Filled bags may then be rotated out of view of both the cashier and the customer and then be left behind when the customer exits the store.
As a result of these situations, customers may forget to take their purchased and paid-for merchandise with them. Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for alerting store personnel and the customer when a customer is leaving the checkout counter and has left behind the merchandise. The present invention addresses such a need.